Tuan Tuc commune changes

From the old path

Anyone who has been to Tuan Tuc commune in previous years will surely not forget the image of a rural area with many difficulties. The dirt roads are slippery in the rainy season, and the dust flies up in the dry season. Thatched roofs and leaf walls nestle along canals, and trails wind through the fields... Not only lagging behind in infrastructure, Tuan Tuc used to be a "lowland" area in terms of economy, education and development opportunities. People live on traditional agriculture, small-scale farming, and are completely dependent on the weather. Lack of land for production, lack of techniques, lack of market information... makes the household economy stagnate.

However, in that old color scheme, a quiet transformation has begun. Without the pomp of flags and flowers, without the noise of slogans, the change has crept through every step of the commune cadres, every meeting in the yard, every time the people are guided to build barns, grow vegetables, and raise pigs. Those underground streams of change flow quietly, flow forever, and then one day, they burst into life. Roads rise from the mud. Houses rise from the poverty, beliefs spring up...

Using the land around the house to grow vegetables and raise chickens helps many households increase their daily income. Photo: HOANG PHUC

From Trung Hoa hamlet to Tan Dinh, from muddy canal banks to narrow paths, straight concrete roads now appear. Spacious houses are built next to green gardens, fish ponds, and reasonably planned barns. New economic models are being tested, and importantly - people are no longer living a precarious life but are taking the initiative to take control of their own lives.

Accompanying every change

Behind these changes are long-term efforts of local authorities in implementing ethnic policies in a synchronous, flexible and practical manner. In particular, the effective implementation of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, 2021-2030 period.

Tuan Tuc commune currently has about 2,500 households, mostly Khmer and Chinese. They have land but lack farming knowledge, market connections and modern agricultural techniques. The national target program for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas has helped fill these gaps.

In 2024 alone, the commune has implemented 9 projects and sub-projects, focusing on essential areas such as supporting residential land, clean water, job conversion, investment in transport infrastructure - production, health care, education and cultural preservation. Notably, the housing and job conversion support project with a total cost of more than 1.6 billion VND, helping 66 households have solid houses and stable livelihoods.

Not only does the policy “give fishing rods”, it also “shows how to fish”. The model of breeding pigs has been implemented in 3 hamlets, distributing 224 piglets to 45 households. Officials not only give pigs, but also go to the place to instruct on how to build pens, care techniques, and disease prevention. People begin to think calculatingly: sell the first batch to reinvest, raise pigs as if keeping their property.

Along with livelihoods, transport infrastructure - which is a "bottleneck" in deep rural areas - has also been untied. The two routes Trung Thong - Tan Dinh and Ong Cua canal have been concreted cleanly and widely, helping people travel easily, transport goods conveniently, and children go to school more safely.

Solid houses have helped people feel secure in working, producing and stabilizing their lives. Photo: HOANG PHUC

Comrade Son Doi - Chairman of Tuan Tuc Commune People's Committee shared: "Poverty reduction policies have contributed to significantly changing people's awareness, helping them proactively participate in production, increase income and improve their lives. We determined that people's consensus is the key factor for the program to be truly effective."

The commune government also plays a good role as a bridge, strengthening the commune-level Program Management Board, assigning cadres in charge of the area, "going to every alley, knocking on every door" to listen and solve difficulties. In the past year, there were more than 40 propaganda and direct dialogue sessions, attracting over 2,100 people to participate - not only to listen but also to criticize and propose models suitable for practice.

Vitality from everyday things

On a sunny day in March, we returned to Trung Hoa hamlet and visited the newly built house of Mrs. Tran Thi Thon. In front of the house was a patch of green banana trees and lush vegetable beds. Mrs. Thon was spreading rice for the chickens to eat while smiling and saying: “In the past, when it rained, the house leaked on all sides, and we had to wear hats to sleep under mosquito nets. Now the house is solidly built, we can learn how to raise chickens, and someone comes to guide us. The chickens lay eggs regularly, and we sell eggs every day, which helps us pay for our children to go to school.”

Her eyes are no longer those of a person struggling to make a living, but those of someone who believes in the future. That belief does not come from far away - it sprouts from the backyard garden, from the vegetable beds that grow every day, from the silent but certain changes. Not far from Mrs. Thon's house, Mr. Do Kim Sa Phep is also a testament to the change in the economic life of farmers. Mr. Sa Phep shared: "At first, I was also afraid that I could not do it. But the commune officials came down to give me detailed instructions, now raising pigs and growing vegetables is very good. The neighbors saw that and followed suit."

Not only caring for people's lives, the commune also focuses on improving community capacity: opening technical training classes, agricultural seminars, and activities to preserve ethnic culture. The "Trusted Address" model in hamlets is also effective, helping to promptly detect and support households in difficulty, reducing social evils. What is happening is not noisy, not fancy, but like underground water, it spreads out and gradually permeates people's lives.

However, there are still many challenges. Some households are not familiar with the new production model and lack counterpart capital, making maintenance precarious. Areas such as school health, community health care, and ethnic cultural education still need stronger investment. Connecting product consumption markets is still a major bottleneck.

The commune government has proposed that all levels invest in more schools, medical stations, and cultural houses; at the same time, promote the development of typical products such as Tan Dinh pineapple, garden chicken, and freshwater fish, aiming to build OCOP products - both preserving traditional values ​​and increasing people's income.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuan Tuc Son Doi commune emphasized: "We not only want to eliminate poverty, but also aim to build a strong, self-reliant community, confidently entering a new stage of development."

No longer is Tuan Tuc of the “old ways” but a Tuan Tuc who is asserting himself, rising up every day. The farmers with muddy hands and feet now know how to nurture dreams, know how to calculate, know how to be proud of their homeland. That transformation is not a distant prospect. It is present - in every gaze, every vegetable bed, every classroom, every newly built house.

HOANG PHUC

Source: https://baosoctrang.org.vn/xay-dung-nong-thon-moi/202504/xa-tuan-tuc-chuyen-minh-a7b4d3e/